Inside the New York Yankees clubhouse with MLB.com beat writer Bryan Hoch.

All-Star Moose?

Mike Mussina, an All-Star? I wouldn’t have believed it myself, but consider the fact that Mussina once again has a share of the American League lead with nine victories — including eight in his last nine starts. Sure, he’s been lucky at times, but any pitcher who’s winning nine of 13 games is off to a heck of a run for a season.

Not too shabby for a guy who many were looking at as a fifth starter and potential weak link to the rotation. Remember when Hank Steinbrenner said that Moose should pitch more like Jamie Moyer? Looks like maybe Hank knew what he was talking about – that directly coincided with the beginning of this 8-of-9 run.

Derek Jeter had his own milestone moment last night, moving into third place on the Yankees’ all-time hit list and passing Mickey Mantle. Jeter’s in some pretty select company there — Lou Gehrig is first and Babe Ruth second. He says he doesn’t belong there, but Joe Girardi (among others) disagrees. Someday you’ll be visiting the new Yankee Stadium and looking at Jeter’s plaque in Monument Park, there’s just no doubt about it.

Don’t count on Jason Giambi being in the lineup today after having treatment all during Wednesday’s game. He’s still pretty sore, from all accounts. The Yankees will try to “sleep fast” with a somewhat-later report time to get to the Stadium on Thursday afternoon for what used to be known as a Businessman’s Delight. I’m not sure how many people come to ballgames wearing shirts and ties anymore. Seems that’s gone the way of the three-martini lunch. More likely, you’d just blow off work altogether and call in sick.

Lots of 2008 First Year Player Draft coverage on tap for Thursday. In case you haven’t noticed, the Draft is kind of a big deal here at MLB.com. The Yankees are up 28th and then have a Joba Chamberlain Compensation Pick at 44 for losing Luis Vizcaino to the Rockies. Their second round pick is 75.

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136 Comments

bpuke,

We don’t know when or if this team can get Fuentes. Regardless of that, the Yanks could use Cox as an option on a moment’s notice until this team can acquire Fuentes or anyone to help this mess of a pen.

This team has to seriously start thinking about calling up someone like J. Brent Cox soon. I can’t stomach seeing another HR of Farnsworth late in the game. We’re just lucky there hasn’t been anyone on base when he gave up the last couple of HRs. Cox has thrown 10 1/3 shut out innings since being moved up to SWB, stuff wise he isn’t spectacular, but Farnsworth can only dream about doing that himself.

LOL, Swahili, you are dead on! I’m sure Betamit’s upside is so good, that when we get a chance for Mark Teixeira we should just stand pat with Betamit for 1B next year! In fact why don’t we bench A-Rod and start Betamit at his natural position of 3rd base? I mean, after all, he does have “pop” from both sides of the plate whereas A-Rod can only bat right handed. You are an idiot, Scooter. Do us all a favor and stop it with your “Betamit: The greatest bench player in the history of baseball” campaign. It’s TIRED.

OK, Swahili. Let’s say that Betamit IS the best player off the Yankee bench. So PHUKING what? If you want to say that, then out of getting your throat slit, falling off a cliff, drowning, getting shot in the head, or burning alive, I would say that drowning is the best way to die. What kind of an argument is that? You need to back away from the keyboard because your brain is melting.

Did you suffer from a long brainfart, when you wrote your idiotic lunacy. When are you going to give it up? We all know keyswahili is one of your many sign-ons. I her Clemens calling you for your usual “get together” have fun!!!!!!!

OK, so let me get this straight, I get so pissed that I’m ready to cry, I throw a fit like a 5 year old girl, I shut the game off, and then I decide to check the score a few hours later, and I missed a Giambino walk-off? Perfect. LOL. I whine about people being fair weather fans more than anyone, and it turns out that I’m the worst one, great!

And if I become the next GM……I have jobs for all of you!
Chaz=Sabremetrics specialist
Matt=Devil’s Advocate
JHT=Matt’s assisant
Keyswahili=Bright gofor (young?)
AussieBryan=Australian Director of anything you want! or
AussieBryan= Any US job if you want to relocate!
BD, BP=Something
SG or JS=Somethig too, but can you grow a mousetache?
Anybody else=Apply to my E-mail which follows:

Can’t argue too much against the Yanks 1st Rd pick, Gerrit Cole, considering he is considered the top prep pitcher in this year’s draft. He has a fastball that tops out around 97 mph, and could be a dominant starter down the road at best or a dominant closer at worst. However, I have to wonder why they went after him when this team already have several pitchers like that in the minors, and there is a desperate need for position players like Casey Kelly who was still available at the time and eventually went to the Suks. He has the makings of a great SS, something this team will need in the near future since Jeter isn’t getting any younger, and there really isn’t anyone better than Kelly in the system right now.

First of all, can we stop using Giambi, and thong in the same sentence please? That’s not a pleasant sight, it will take me a couple of days to get over that, thanks jeterstar!!! The players, and management on this team are well-deserving of the criticism, especially with all the garbage we’ve seen from them this season. This team desrves better than Crashman, he’s had this team on a path to mediocrity for years now while Epstein has had the Suks going in the opposite direction. Why the heck can’t some of you see that? You guys can accept all the mediocrity you want in Crashman or Betapuke, but this team deserves better than them.
Lets see how your faith in mediocrity gets you, as compared to the fans who demand and expect better from their team. IT’s that attitude that drives teams to be the best, not faith in the same putrid mediocrity that you guys want. Again, Crashman has done nothing to earn an extension, but make mistake after mistake that have prevented this team from winning another championship. Staying on the same failed path, rather than trying something new is where the real idiocy lies. How long do you people want Cashman as GM of this team anyway? SHEEEEEEEESSSSHHH!!!! If this team falls farther south than it is now, this organization is going to find it next to impossible to justify this extension.

You losers need to get off Betamits back…hes doing a lot more than Duncan, Ensberg and other bench players. The love affair with Scott Proctor needs to stop. A good, young part-time player such as Betamit tops a worn out right handed reliever such as Proctor. Giambi’s old body is fragile and will not allow him to play everyday…Betamit has thump from both sides of the plate and is a better defensive 1st basemen than Giambi…It was a good move by Cashman and will pay dividends the rest of the summer.
By keyswahili@yahoo.com on June 5, 2008 5:31 PM

JEEEEEEEEEZZZZZ!!!!!!!! Did this game kill off people’s brain cells? Insanity and stupidity is running amok here!!!

Hank steinbrenner needs to start making new rules. He should force all the yankees to grow a mustache. Look at Johnny damon. Right when he grew the mustache, he’s been taring it up. I think all the players, even jeter and A-rod, need to start growing a mustache.

Kbp you might know rugby and/or futbol but you do not know baseball. Crashman has produced nothing over the past few years. His free agent signing alone ought to give him the pink slip. Why reward failure? Oh I forgot this is the new America that rewards failing CEO’s and GM’s. Congrats to Fat Boy for the dinger and to Ryan for making a bad pitch.

We need to add Barry Bonds?? I’ll tell you what we don’t need: Barry Bonds. Last year this team led the league in hitting in EVERY category. None of these hitters that contributed last year are gone this year. This team has thump—people are slumping but the thump is still there. Maybe another power hitter wont hurt (it never does) but preferably someone that can see his toes when he stands and one who is not 43!!!!! And no one is saying that Betemit is worse than Duncan and the rest of the bench they’re all the same—as in not good. Extra pop in the lineup is always a good thing…preferably not coming from a guy who’s popped on pills.

Congratulations fellow bloggers Aussie bryan is so over all of the consistant negativity posted on this site. almost everyone rips the team , players managers and owners apart. The side has been without it,s two most productive hitters for 20 games and 34 games in the case of Posada without Posada they are 17-17. With him in those games I believe they would have been22 and 12 minimum and right in the hunt. With A Rod they would have won additional games no doubt. They have been hurt by injuries to pitching staff all year . In the current game Farnsworth gets bagged again, yet he throws two good pitches unluckily that went for blloped singles yet gets out in a tense innings only giving up one run, keeping the runs scored minimal and keeping the team in a winning position and win they did. Get off his back and get off the team,s back and start being positive.
As for Cashman I believe he is about to be resigned, do you all think the owners and senior management are total idiots of course not. They are backing their man in for some tough decisions made which WILL be winning decisions in the long run.

I may be from Australia and not know as much about the game but in Australia we BACK OUR MAN to the hilt. Now some bloggers even want to turn on Bryan Hoch. Total idiots some of you are.

That one is on Giambi and Betemit funnily enough. OMG. I didn’t think a comeback win was ever possible for the 08 Yankees. It was an amazing game. Miracles do happen…I knew it. I knew I should’ve kept watching. This sucks for Chaz…baseball sure is unpredictable. The game was won at one point and then lost, then close, and then won and then it ends with a two run shot from an “injured” player. Holy **** that rocked…

You losers need to get off Betamits back…hes doing a lot more than Duncan, Ensberg and other bench players. The love affair with Scott Proctor needs to stop. A good, young part-time player such as Betamit tops a worn out right handed reliever such as Proctor. Giambi’s old body is fragile and will not allow him to play everyday…Betamit has thump from both sides of the plate and is a better defensive 1st basemen than Giambi…It was a good move by Cashman and will pay dividends the rest of the summer. The Yanks still lack a real threat in the line up, especially from the right side. Billy Hall, with Milwaukee, has been relegated to part-time duty and has demanded a trade. Hall is a good fielder and has power. We also need to add Barry Bonds as DH to protect Rodriguez.

I still hate you Jason Giambi, but thanks for the bomb to win the game, he must have been wearing that disgusting thong I have been hearing about lately! I’m going to need therapy because of that thong story but hey whatever works.

Walks and hit batsmen. When is staff going to learn how to pitch. I for one cannot believe that they are talking with Crashman about resigning. I for one am not satisfied with his job performance and he shows nothing of improvement.

As for Wang this guy is a third or fourth starter at best and goes through these periods when his sinker is not there. When the sinker doesn’t sink he is very hittable and an average pitcher. This is the 4th game in a row that he has pitched badly.

Betemit is a bench player yes, and thats why you must blame Wang. It has been very long since he has pitched a good game. What he brings is just not good enough right know. His delivery is so urquard(spelling) and just a little tweak, and he has no idea where the ball is going

Hey elfman,
Dude you are crazy, saying Wang is unreliable. I mean is it just me or in the last two years has he gotten more wins than any other pitcher! He may be in some trouble but you need some help if you are saying that Wang has been shaky these past few years.

This team is a disgrace to this franchise. I’m surprised that fans pay money to watch these fools play. And even if they make the playoffs (which i believe we will), there is no way we will win one game w/ a pitching rotation that can’t even complete 4 innings.

This lineup also sucks. we have left so many people in scoring position. For God’s sake, we have more hits than the other team, and we are still losing.

BTW, all you betermit haters, Betermit got 2 HR in 2 days. Got off his back. He is only a bench player.

Yeah, Wang is the definition of unreliable. I mean his stats just say it all:
2005 – 8-5 with a 4.02 ERA (only started 17 games)
2006 – 19-6 with a 3.63 ERA
2007 – 19-7 with a 3.70 ERA
It doesn’t get much more unreliable than that!

Okay so Betemit is not the only one annoying the crap out of me…Wang and Melki are too in this inning. That is a ball you must catch. Wait he did catch it…he just LET GO OF IT!! And Wang is behind every batter, not Wang at all. Who is this man?!

Yeah, he’s still feeling the effects of when he got hit on the foot the other day. Apparently it’s nothing major, but as we’ve seen in the past, when Giambi gets hot, he loves to have these little injuries that kill him the rest of the season.

I don’t think people can see his positives because his mistakes outnumber and outweigh them, plus this team has failed to get beyond the usual playoff failures i has been experiencing in recent years. With the names on this roster, and the size of the payroll more is expected of this team, but the results aren’t there. Like I said before, I doubt organizations really clamor to have Cashman. I doubt the A’s would switch GMs with the Yanks since Beane is the better GM. I doubt the Angels would switch with the Yanks, or the Suks, Cards, etc. The only teams who would switch would be teams in the smaller markets who haven’t had much success at all in years, i.e. Kansas city, Pittsburgh. I really have to doubt Cashman could be successful in those markets since he won’t have the Yanks resources to rely on, and that makes a big difference.

Leave Betemit alone! All he did was spoil the amazing feeling we Yankee fans had by Posada’s line shot in his first at bat back. You guys are so mean to Betemit. Just because he’s a terrible hitter, a mediocre fielder, and a slow base-runner doesn’t make him useless. He can still…well…umm…I’ll have to get back to you on that one.

First of the Betamit trade will always be considered a big mistake, because the value of a bench player will never match the vaalue of a relief pitcher regardless if that pitcher is having a bad season which Proctor is having. You could blame Torre’s overuse of Proctor for his problems last season. Despite that Proctor wasn’t the worst pitcher in the pen. His ERA was a decent 3.81. He turned his season around with the Dodgers going 3-0 3.38. So the Yanks could have used that far more than Betamit, who will hit one out once in a while, really doesn’t have much ability. A pitcher will always have a bigger role and impact on a team in regards to success or failure of a team, than a bench player who will have more of a minimal impact on the team. The Dodgers definitely got the better of the deal.

Yes, right now Vazquez looks like our worst mistake, with Contreras a close second. But neither pitcher could hack it in NY. And the list of similar cases is very long. Anyone pick up on the names I recently mentioned, Reuschel (sp?) or Whitson?

And for the much maligned Pavano, Boston has Clement! Can’t anyone else see positives?
BTW, Cashman became GM in 1998 (Winter 1998/1999, I think.) Now Epstein can exceed Cashman’s championships as he already has two. Can exceed Cashman’s WS if he gets there three of the next four years. But has already missed the chance at nine straight playoffs. So if he is number 1, Cashman is clearly number two. And out of thirty I’m satisfied. Why isn’t anyone else?

Okay biggest shock of my life. I turn on my T.V just now and it’s on the channel I left it on …so all of a sudden the game came on. I had no effing idea that it was on now. I would’ve missed it and turned it on at seven only to find a yankeeogrophy or something… I even said I was excited for Posada’s return TONIGHT… the games ON? How am I supposed to know these things?

One thing I didn’t know: A-rod leads the league in RBI’s? That’s awesome. He leads by about 17. He doesn’t have as many HR’s but the dude missed two weeks and he’s leading in RBI’s. I hated his guts during the “opt out” but now I shudder to think what would be if he hadn’t sucked up all that money and returned.

With the rotation, we needed and still need Joba!! No question… you else do you want to put in there? Don’t even go to Igawa… and anyone else will be another youngster that hasn’t had a MLB debut yet. Chamberlain may not strike everyone out or even have a solid start everytime, but we as fans need to be patient and wait for Joba to get settled in the rotation. As I saw someone mention, it is a lot easier to replace pitchers in the bullpen, then it is in the rotation. I agree with that, and so lets leave Joba where he is and see what he can do next time.
With the pen, I’m guessing JB Cox, or another good reliever will be coming up from Triple A. Guess we will have to see if they can do better then Latroy and Veras. Certainly can’t do too much worse. Now I know most really don’t like Farnsworth, and as a setup man neither do I. But then as middle relief he doesn’t do too badly. There have been some bigger mistakes but he is usually ok. We just need to find a guy who can step up and take the place of Joba or at least act as a bridge to Mo. Its pretty obvious he can handle just about anything.

Keep it up Moose and I’ll start my HOF tirade again…… Even Al Leiter mentioned the three letters last night. Even with a tight strike zone, Moose proved that he has the ability to pitch. And right now (as a hush comes over the crowd) he’s OUR STAFF ACE. The ONLY pitcher consistently winning games. Remember when Wang got number 6? Moose had what? 3 or 4 wins? He’s 9-4 folks.
Speaking of Wang, he’s in a nasty funk. Look at his numbers. He’s AVERAGING more than 2 bb’s a game (and just over 3 a game in his last 5 starts). Of course, he’s averaging more than 3 k’s a game too which is something new for him. To me that means he’s changed his pitching style. Not putting the ball in play as much? Getting away from what brung him to the dance??? Perhaps he’s got a bit of CY fever?? I’ve got the most wins by a ML starting pitcher in the last two seasons but because I don’t K so much, I don’t get the trophy??? I dont’ know.

Awesome hit/milestone for Jeter, and a better start than I think any of us could hope for with Moose.
Well, so the Chamberlain start didn’t go so well. I know a lot of people are gonna be saying that he should be in the bullpen and should go back. But its already decided, Joba will be a starter. So lets see what happens in four or five starts.
Besides… it has to be better than what Kennedy or Igawa did.

Awesome hit/milestone for Jeter, and a better start than I think any of us could hope for with Moose.
Well, so the Chamberlain start didn’t go so well. I know a lot of people are gonna be saying that he should be in the bullpen and should go back. But its already decided, Joba will be a starter. So lets see what happens in four or five starts.
Besides… it has to be better than what Kennedy or Igawa did.

Awesome hit/milestone for Jeter, and a better start than I think any of us could hope for with Moose.
Well, so the Chamberlain start didn’t go so well. I know a lot of people are gonna be saying that he should be in the bullpen and should go back. But its already decided, Joba will be a starter. So lets see what happens in four or five starts.
Besides… it has to be better than what Kennedy or Igawa did.

Back in time

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